Formula One Racing :: essays research papers

Formula One Racing Formula One racing, or F1, is known to be the most prestigious type of auto racing in the world. Unfortunately, in the United States F1 racing is not nearly as popular as other motorsports such as Nascar. On a typical Sunday afternoon if one were to flip channels on the television, Nascar would most likely be airing on a major station. Furthermore, if one were to watch the race he or she would notice that the racetrack was packed with thousands upon thousands of people. A large part of the lack of popularity of F1 in America is that only one race is run in the United States. All of the other races take place in countries such as Spain, France, Italy, and Canada. With Nascar every single race is run in the United States, which is obviously a large contributing factor towards its immense popularity. Despite the fact that Nascar is the racing preference of most Americans, Formula One racing is the best and most exhilarating type of racing in the world. The action that takes place during an average 190- mile Formula One race is unsurpassed by any other motorsport. The typical racetrack consists of 2.5 miles and 12 turns. During the lapping of this track, the 900- horsepower 1400-pound cars can reach speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour. Even when cars capable of these speeds are put into the hands of world-class drivers such as Ferrari’s Michael Shumacher and McLaren’s Mika Hakkinen, mishaps are bound to occur. This is what makes this sport so exciting to watch. Crashes however, are not the only exciting events of the race. It is thrilling to watch a car out brake another in order to squeeze its way ahead, or to watch the cars bump tires in an effort to occupy the same piece of race track to be set up correctly for the turn ahead. Other points of interest are the pit stops and the strategies that the various teams use in order to make a fast pit stop. A world-class team such as Ferrari can refuel a car, change four wheels and tires, and wipe off the driver’s helmet in as little as 6.8 seconds. The technology used in the sport is another drawing point of its popularity. State- of-the-art computers are used to track the car’s every movement and to mechanically keep